The Sphinx, Vol. 14, No. 212

              February 23. 1907.
THE SPHINX.
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THE SPHINX
they blasphemously styled their president, and i Mr. Heaton Armstrong ,has also left Cairo; that one day be appeared bodily before them and I and Major and Mrs Wynne accompanied by Miss frightened them out of their senses.	Blythe are now en route for England.
THE ENGLISH WEEKLY
SOCIETY PAPER
ESTABLISHED 1892
Printed and Published in Cairo during the Season.
Editor G. I. Swanson
Business Manager W. E. Walton.
Contributions (of a non-political and non-controvers-ial nature) should be addressed to The Editor, “Sphinx •Offices, Khedivial Buildings, Boulac Road, Cairo, by whom they will be gladly received.
All business communications and applications for •advertising space should be addressed to The Business Manager at the same Offices.
Subscription for the season P. T. 25 in Egypt and P. T. 40 abroad, post free.
Price per number P. T. 2
LONDON CORRESPONDENT'S OFFICE:-36 New Broad Street.
E. C.
Lady Caroline Gordon-Lennox, who is only sister to the Duke of Richmond, and Lady Helen Lennox, the Duke’s youngest and only unmarried daughter, have, we are glad to say, found j found Lady Muriel Beckwith, Lady Helen’s elder ! sister, much better. Mr. William Beckwith, as most of our readers will know, is quartered here with the Coldstream Guards, and great anxiety had been felt concerning Lady Muriel’s health.
Lady Caroline is a very capable and cultured j woman, who is devoted to her four motherless nieces (her brother, the present Duke, has been twice widowed), and before the marriage of the three eldest often acted as their chaperon. From the time of her mother’s death, twenty years ago, until the death of her father in 1903, she was the latter’s constant companion. Her home is now j in Wilton-crescent, but she is often her brother’s j guest at Goodwood or Gordon Castle.
Major-General Sir Charles Holled-Smith, who is staying at Shepheaad’s Hotel, with Lady Hoi- j led-Smith, was Governor-General of the Red Sea littoral and Commandant at Suakin from 1888 to 1894. He served in the Zulu and Boer wars of 1879-81,took an active part in the Egyptian campaign of 1882, and then joined the Nile expedition of 1884, and later the Soudan Frontier Field Force. He commanded a brigade at the action of Gemaizeh, and was in command of the Tokar expedition in 1891, when he was created K.C.M.G.
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Sir Robert Dashwood, who is now in Cairo.has , shut up his seat, West Wycombe Park, in Bucks. The house has many curious stories attached to it, says a contemporary—one being that a subterranean passage connects it with Medmenham Abbey, where Sir Francis Dashwood and the notorious Hell-fire Club, or the Monks of Med-menham Abbey, used to hold their revels. The entrance to the passage, however, if it existed, is lost. There are many stories connected with this club which outraged decency even in the Georgian period. One is that the members always left a chair vacant for the Prince of Darkness, whom
The explanation is that a neighbour,Vansittart of Bisham Abbey, not far from Medmenham, had a grudge against Dashwood and the club, and, by way of a practical joke, procured a large baboon, which was put down the chimney, secured by a chain, while the members were at their orgies. The appearance of this hairy monster at such a time naturally upset what little sense remained in their heads. Medmenham Abbey is now owned by Mr. Hudson of Danesfield, who bought itsome few years ago and restored it, but leaving the motto of the club, “Fay ce que voudras,” untouched. The Abbey is now occupied as a private house by Colonel Douglas Dawson, the King’s Master of the Ceremonies.
Lady de Clifford has had a son and heir.. The marriage of Miss Eva Carrington, a pretty young actress, made an event of February, 1906, and her new-born baby may one day be twenty-sixth of his line, and take rank as fourth among the barons in order of precedence. Lady de Clifford has a striking appearance. She is fair skinned, with dark hair, is over six feet in height, and has a superb figure. Like her husband, she is fond of sport, rides well, and is now the owner of racehorses. She races under her own name, and her horse, Electric Rose, started a favourite at a last year’s Curragh race-meeting. Lord de Clifford is keen on hunting, is a Master of Hounds, and has laid out a racecourse of his own at Dalgan Park, his place in Galway. After the fashion of the day, Lord and Lady de Clifford spent their honeymoon in Egypt and East Africa, and they own a young lion, which, however, did not hail from native wilds, but from the lion house in the “Zoo” at Dublin. Lord de Clifford has a roll of ancestors that date from 1299, and one of these was the handsome young sailor, George de Clifford, who wore Qeen Elizabeth’s glove, set in 1 diamonds, as the plume to his hat.
The Rev. J. B. Reynardson, who has had the almost .unique experience of being rector of a parish for 62 years—that of Careby, between Grantham and Peterborough,—is the son of General C. Birch Reynardson, who fought with Sir R. Abercrombie in the Egyptian war in Napoleonic days. Mr. Reynardson, who has attained the advanced age of 92, was appointed to his present post in 1844 by his father, who was the patron of the living. In his youth Mr. Reynardson travelled a great deal on the Continent, and he was an excellent painter, some charming pictures adorning the walls of the rectory being from his own brush. The Rev. gentleman is remarkably active for a man of his years; he still takes an active part in all parochial matters, and is known in the district as the “Grand Old Man of Careby.”
The Rev. Mr. Reynardson’s initial effort in his parish was to set up a school. He was opposed by the farmers, who contended that children in such a parish required no education. Despite the opposition; however, he converted an old cowhouse into a school until a proper building was provided. This is interesting as showing that such educational facilities as are provided in Egypt today were unknown even in England within the memory of people still living.
Mrs Cassel and Mrs. Ashley returned to the Savoy for the last few days of their stay in Egypt, but left this morning in company with Sir Ernest Cassel for Bieritz.
Mrs. and the Misses Wain have left the Savoy for a short trip up river; and amongst those who are returning to their old quarters at the Savoy after having visited.Upper Egypt are the Prince and Princess Levoff and their family whose home is in Wiesbaden. Sir Charles Wyndham, Miss Mary Mooi'e, and the Barons Bleichroder and Biedermann and their party.
Amongst the fresh arrivals this week at the Savoy are the Count and Countess A. Bobrinsky, and Sir Thomas R. Dewer.
Lady Huntington is now occupying the suite of rooms at the Savoy lately vacated by Sir Ernest Cassel and his party.
Mile. Boni made her first appearance before a Cairo audience on Wednesday night at the Cercle Artistique. She is a most admirable pianiste and her programme was really well chosen — Beethoven (op 26), Schumann, Grieg, Chopin (Ballade op 23), and 3 very pretty pieces by : Sgambati (her teacher in Rome). She showed i great taste and excellent technique : her reading of the music was sympathetic and able. M. Co-! mino gave a pastorale by Prume, and a violin concerto—Paganini Favilli : both of these were well enough rendered, but lacked interest. M. Mariani sang the Recit du Graaf, and Tartini’s trillo del Diavolo in excellent style : he has a good voice, and uses it well. We hope to hear more of Mile Boni: her performance was full of promise.
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Mr. A. Wild, the popular manager of the i Savoy Hotel, has taken over in connection with his brothers, the National Hotel at Zurich. This will be good news to Savoyards who visit Switzerland, for Mr. Wild’s management of the Savoy is always greatly appreciated. We shall, however, j still have him among us for the winter months.
We have every confidence in asserting that those in search of oriental curios, carpets and rugs will receive full satisfaction from Mr. Vitali Madjar, whose kiosk is situated in Shepheard’s Hotel Buildings. Mr. Madjar’s collection of oriental prayer-rugs, antique embroideries, and i objets d’art are unique, and he has taken over his late father’s complete collection, which was so well-known to all residents in and visitors to Cairo. Visitors should not leave Cairo without calling upon Mr. Madjar.
THE SAVOY BALL.
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The Savoy fancy-dress ball, being held only a week after that of Ghezireh Palace, naturally closely resembled the latter in so far as costumes were concerned. The principal changes were from fancy to plain dress ; in fact it appeared almost as if the latter preponderated. Mrs. Wilson was looking very handsome in a magnificent costume as worn by Court Ladies of 1830, and Mrs. i Nolan as made charming Circassian Lady as she did a Spanish Girl, at Ghezireh Palace. Miss Hemming represented Snowflakes in a very attractive costume. Miss Hermione Crofton came as Monte Carlo, Mrs. Elliot Smith as Mme. Sans j Gene. Mrs. Bayley and Miss Blythe were dress-